


sometimes the stars decide

by niniadepapa



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, a kind of f.r.i.e.n.d.s. au i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8694706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niniadepapa/pseuds/niniadepapa
Summary: “Alright. Friday night?”
She pump-fisted him, adding an exploding sound as their hands separated. “It’s a DD.”
He gaped at her. “Come again?”
“A Double Date.”
(or that time ruby and killian looked for dates for each other just like phoebe and joey do in f.r.i.e.n.d.s., and we all know how that turns out...)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lokiintheskywithdiamonds](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=lokiintheskywithdiamonds).



> for my precious traveling baguette @emmaofmisthaven who’s celebrating her birthday :DDDD i’m sorry for it not being a) the lost boys related b) an ef au, but i’m sure you’ll somehow make me write those on another day, you adorable little shit <333 have the greatest day babe!

“I’m tired of dating,” Ruby stated as she slipped down the couch until she was resting with her back to it and stuffing her mouth with popcorn. Killian rolled his eyes.

“Then don’t.”

He heard her shuffle against the carpet. “No, I meant - I’m tired of dating awful people, you know?”

“Was your last date _that_ horrible?”

“He wouldn’t stop staring at my boobs through dinner. I mean, a girl enjoys being appreciated but that was going too far even for my standards.”

“Huh. New York is full of creeps, Rubes,” he declared, because, well, it was true. There were your share of weirdos, and it was difficult enough to get them out of your hair as it was, but _damn_. No matter what, it was still a pain trying to find good dating material.

“That’s what I hear.” Ruby let out a mournful whine, dramatically resting her hand over her forehead. “I just want someone to cuddle with when I get home, is that too much to ask? Someone who laughs at my jokes and texts me when I’m bored?” she asked, peeking at him over the edge of the couch.

He chortled. “Anything else, Your Highness?”

“If they’re amazing in bed and have a body to die for, then sure, also that.”

He hummed. “That sounds nice.”

“Doesn’t it?” she parroted back, sighing contentedly. Killian snorted, his fingers lightly brushing the smooth and pale skin of her inner arm. They’d been tickling each other’s arms since they had been in college together, when classes became so boring only Ruby’s fingers on his arm drawing invisible nonsense would keep him from closing his eyes and making a scene as he drooled all over his desk.

“I might know someone,” he suddenly claimed, and she lazily looked up at him.

“Someone what?”

“Someone for you, who might check all those things in your list.”

There was a clatter as Ruby clumsily made her way to her feet to immediately sit by his side, clutching his arm with interest. “Really?” she turned hopeful eyes in his direction, and something lightened inside his chest at seeing that brightness all over her face. He thought back to the new girl at work, and tried to picture her outside of the office, making conversation with Ruby.

“I think so,” he finally said. Ruby’s mouth hung open in surprise.

“And why have you never introduced them to me?!”

He rolled his eyes. “We’ve never run into each other outside of work; she just transferred into my department two months ago, but I think you’ll like her.”

She nervously bit her lip. “Are you sure though? What if it goes wrong and then it is awkward at your workplace?”

He waved a hand dismissively. “Nah. I’m willing to risk it by introducing you two.”

She threw herself at him and hugged his chest with all her might. He laughed, kissing the top of her head softly. “You’re the best Killian.” She craned her neck back to smile goofily at him, and then slouched against his chest, wiggling as she rescued her phone from inside her jeans pocket. “Now, let me see…”

He frowned. “See what?”

She didn’t even look back at him, going through her social media feed like a woman on a mission. The screen’s brightness reflected on her face, making her skin glow in a blue-tinted hue. “I’m thinking about someone for you. A perfect girl for you too. It’ll be fun. We’ll both look for a great date for the other, and if it goes well, then we’ll be able to tell all about it in our speech at our respective weddings, right?”

Killian’s snort echoed in his tiny living room. “You’re getting way ahead of yourself, don’t you think?”

“Nope,” she declared, pursing her lips as she continued her search. “Okay, here, I’ll go through my Facebook friends in case I see someone you might find interesting…”

“Whenever I’ve been interested I have actually _asked_ for their number,” he reminded her, shuddering slightly at some of the times he had indeed gone on a date with some of Ruby’s friends. They hadn’t been disastrous per se –those he left to the ones that Scarlet had schemed– but… yeah, let’s say they hadn’t worked out in the end.

She dismissively flapped a hand at him. “Busy looking for the love of you life, Jones!”

He laughed, pressing a kiss to her forehead and picking up his laptop. “Alright. Friday night?”

She pump-fisted him, adding an exploding sound as their hands separated. “It’s a DD.”

He gaped at her. “Come again?”

“A Double Date.”

He couldn’t help but stare at her with pity. “I can’t wait for you to crack these jokes in front of your date,” he commented as he got up from the couch and padded through the living room towards his room.

“You said she’d be perfect for me and she’d find them hilarious!”

He laughed, and closed the door behind him. “See you later, Ruby.”

* * *

 

When Killian got back from work four days later, he found Ruby sprawled on his couch, stuffing herself with Pringles as she maniacally laughed at her phone’s screen. He’d bet it was some cute animal video. He shook his head. “So, everything is set for your date as long as I’m concerned,” he said as he left his briefcase and coat on a stool, grabbed a beer from the fridge and walked over to her. “Now, I’ll let you work your magic. Mulan said yes, and she actually looked kind of excited about it, if I say so myself. Even though it’s difficult to tell with her. But she smiled at me.”

For all the icy demeanor his colleague demonstrated at their workplace, she had a beautiful smile. He had been kind of taken aback at first when he found her grinning widely at him. It had been pretty weird. But in a good way.

Ruby abruptly stopped laughing and sat straight, staring at him. “Oh my God, her name is _Mulan_?”

“Is there a problem?” he asked, concerned.

“Not at all, now she won’t be able to tease me about Ruby.” She paused, cocking her head to the side, looking pensive, and finally added with a grin. “It’s adorable, actually. I always loved Mulan.”

“I wonder why that was,” he snorted, chugging back his beer. Mulan gave her a dirty look and fell back on the couch.

“You’re an idiot.”

They glared at each other until they burst into giggles at the same time, and he accusingly pointed at her with the bottle in his hand. “I hope that’s not what you’ve been telling my date.”

She ran her hand through her hair until it covered her face, and suddenly her voice came out strained. “Your date.”

“Yeah. DD. Tonight, remember?” he said as he went back to the stool to rummage through his coat pocket in search of his phone. He barely heard Ruby behind him.

“Totally. Great. Amazing.”

“So. What’s her name?” he asked, feeling something akin to excitement. At first he had found the entire double date idea kind of ridiculous and as a way for his best friend and himself to have a fun night out, but much to his chagrin, he had found part of him… kind of looking forward to it. Once he had settled things for Mulan to meet Ruby, he had caught himself whistling and daydreaming about this blind date.

Which was stupid and hopeless, but then again, he had always been a bloody sap at heart. He couldn’t fight it, really.

Chestnut hair still hung loose over her face, –and what was up with _that_ – Ruby coughed before answering. “Her name. Huh. What was that again?”

He rolled his eyes. “You know, how should I address her. What people usually call her, and all that jazz.”

“Oh. Yeah, yeah, she has one of those. Totally has a name. Your date, that is.”

He arched an eyebrow, but let it pass. She was acting weirder than usual, but to be fair, one could never really tell what was Too Weird for Ruby. “Great. So, what is it?”

“Eh.... Emma,” she eventually stammered.

_Emma_.

“Emma. Sounds nice.” He smiled, because as a certified sap, just knowing the name of his date gave her a new dimension he could daydream of. “What does she do?”

“Can’t a gal have some mystery here? Goddammit Jones,” Ruby growled, and he put his hands up in mock defense.

“Okay, okay!” he said, picking up his things and striding to the bathroom to get a shower before dinner. He wouldn’t make that good of an impression if he showed up smelling of the cigars jos partner enjoyed smoking during their lunch breaks. “See you later. Wear something nice,” he called.

“Always do,” he heard her say, but he had already closed the door behind him when she muttered under her breath, “Shit.”

* * *

 

Shit, shit, _shit_ , she was _so_ fucked.

Ruby Lucas prided herself on many things. Her cocktails had been dubbed as ‘heaven-like’. She could sprint, dance, spin and jump on any kind of heeled shoes. She was eerily good at animal impressions. She was the only one on this planet who could calm down Granny when she was in one of her moods.

But above all, she was a great friend. A goddamn great friend, while we are at it.

Which is why she couldn’t believe how disastrously she had fucked this double date business with her best friend. In her defense, she would say that she had had the busiest week of her life with so many new deliveries at work and making sure everything was ready for their launch next month - even though she had had her fair share of procrastination time once she had been back home or at Killian’s. Still, the whole look-for-a-date-for-Killian-by-Friday thing had been completely wiped out of her memory.

And when he had casually brought it up at his place, as if she wouldn’t notice the tip of his ears turning red when he did, which meant he was actually kind of excited about it, made her realize she had completely blown it.

And making up a name on the spot had been just the icing of the cake. Ruby didn’t know any Emmas –because, as much as it pained her to admit so, celebrities and fictional characters didn’t count no matter how much you felt like you were bffs– the name had kind of come out. And now she was epically screwed.

Unless she went all in, desperate measures be damned.

Once she got to their usual cafe and made sure no one she knew was around –except for their usual waiter, Billy, who just sent her a questioning look she dismissed with a handwave– she called out, “Emma!”

(Yes, she was _that_ desperate. And if no Emmas turned up, she’d haunt all the cafes in the block until she found one who’d do.)

To her surprise, a voice from behind her called out, “Yeah?”

She whirled around, hair flipping against her cheeks, and she impatiently swatted at it before taking a good look at the girl sitting at one of the booths. “Oh my God, it actually worked?” she wondered aloud, and the stranger – _Emma_ – frowned.

“Excuse me?”

Ruby wringed her hands together, approaching her until she could sit on the opposite side of her booth. “I’m sorry, I should explain. My name is Ruby, and I’m not a total weirdo, I promise.”

She didn’t look too reassured. “Okay?”

“See, I promised my best friend that I’d find a date for him if he did the same for me. For tonight.”

Emma cocked an eyebrow. “Huh.”

“And the thing is, I totally forgot about it until earlier, when he mentioned it and promised me that I’d love my date.”

Emma crossed her arms over her chest, studying her with a tight-lipped smile. “So, basically, you’re the worst friend ever.”

Ruby hung her head. Even if she had been telling herself so the entire day, it was still kind of hard to hear a complete stranger declare it aloud at her face. “Yup.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Emma wondered, bringing the cocoa mug on the table closer to her, warming her hands as she held it close.

Ruby winced even before she explained. Nothing like making a stellar first impression.

“Uh, I may have panicked and told him that the date I found for him was called Emma.”

Emma palmed her face - a reaction Ruby herself was more than familiar with. “Why would you _do_ that?”

“I didn’t want to let him down! It was the first name that came to mind, so I came here and…”

“...randomly screamed that name in case you found any Emmas around who were free tonight?” she finished for her, and Ruby sighed despondently.

“When you say it like that it sounds pretty ridiculous.”

“It kinda is.”

(It really was.)

“You’re right,” Ruby admitted, clicking her nails on the table, and before her new acquaintance could say anything else, she asked, adding as much desperation to her begging gaze as she could, “So, you in?”

* * *

 

“Ruby, this is Mulan,” Killian introduced, gently guiding the beautiful Asian girl to their table where Ruby and a gorgeous blonde were already sitting. They stood when they approached the table, and Killian was excited to see how Ruby’s eyes widened slightly when she took in her date for the evening and went to briefly hug Mulan.

“Hi! Nice to meet you.”

Mulan grinned, and Killian had still to check himself and remember that this was his work colleague. So many smiles from her were disorienting alright, but he was eerily happy about this development. “Likewise. Killian made a good argument about getting me out of the house and living up a little. You’ve got a pretty good friend there, I gotta say,” she added, sending him a friendly smile.  

Ruby walked over to him and pressed a loud smacking peck on his cheek before sitting down. “I’m glad he did. I’m very lucky.”

“She’s only admitting that because she’s surrounded by beautiful women,” he commented haughtily, smirking at Ruby’s eyeroll. He turned to mystery blonde then, taking her hand in his and shaking it, trying his best to calm his sudden nerves. “Hi, I’m Killian.”

“Emma,” she said, lips widening as she looked at him, and when he noticed the slight trembling in the hand gripping his own he felt weirdly reassured of not being the only one anxious about this.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he added, and to his delight a faint blush stained her cheeks, and he caught her sending Ruby a look, something akin to ‘where did this guy come from?’ in her expression. Ruby snorted, shaking her head.

“I told you, he’s a dork.”

After they had ordered their drinks and entrées, Ruby and Killian led a friendly catch up talk. Mulan, to Killian’s neverending amazement, interjected here and there to add her input, but Emma seemed way less prone to talk. She fidgeted on her seat, and Killian found himself even more enthralled by her.

“So, Emma, what do you know Ruby from?” he asked, and Emma couldn’t hide the little jump she gave at being addressed at. She gave Ruby a helpless look.

“Uh-”

“We met in freshman year at college,” Ruby explained rushedly, and Killian caught Emma’s panicked expression. He looked from one to the other, strangely confused, but it was Mulan, munching on a breadstick, who asked the next question.

“Really? What did you study?”

Emma looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. “Uh… I actually never got my degree, in the end.”

“You didn’t?” Ruby asked, alarmed. Emma sent her an accusing look, as if she couldn’t believe she had brought that up.

“Personal circumstances didn’t allow it,” she explained through gritted teeth, and Killian wondered what could have happened to her to make her miss those years that even Ruby wouldn’t have found out. She looked so upset that he tried his best to reassure her.

“Oh. Well, life can be like that sometimes.”

Emma stared at him over the rim of her glass, and something soft passed over her features, recognizing his attempt to change the subject and taking it. “Yeah,” she just said, and Killian counted it as a victory.

“Mulan here is my partner in the office,” he added then, and Mulan rolled her eyes.

“Our job is super boring though.”

“What do you do?” Emma asked, looking at them with interest.

“We are IT procurement managers,” Killian explained, and Emma nodded slowly, forehead scrunched up in confusion.

“We specialized in statistical analysis and data reconfiguration,” Mulan added, as if that would somehow make any sense to someone outside of their field of work.

There was a brief silence, and Emma shook her head and said, “I have no idea what you just said.”

Killian and Mulan burst out laughing, and his chest swelled when he noticed Emma’s pleased grin. “Most people don’t. I expect you to forget all about it and simply make up a word for what you think we both do at work.”

“What do you do, Emma?” Mulan asked as she refilled their wine glasses.

“I’m a bailbondsperson.”

“Really?” Ruby asked, surprise coloring her features, and Killian frowned.

“You didn’t know?”

She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, like a fish out of water, and her eyes sought Emma’s. “I thought you still did… that other thing,” she explained feebly, and Killian knew there was something there that he was missing, but focused on Emma’s answer instead.

“No, I quit that other thing and became a bailbondsperson. More flexible hours, good pay, great relationship with cops just in case.”

“Isn’t it risky?” Mulan inquired.

She shrugged, nonplussed. “Sometimes you get the random runner who gets too elbow-happy. I have twisted my ankle a couple of times going after them, and one actually cracked my rib once. But it’s not the norm.” She paused and smiled fondly. “Drives Henry wild.”

“Who’s Henry?”

She shot a nervous look at him, as if he’d bolt at any minute. “My kid.”

“You have a _kid_?” Ruby almost screeched, and that was the last straw for him.

“Hold on a second. What the hell is going on here, Ruby?” he demanded, irated, and in turn, Ruby turned on to Emma, fake outrage on her face.

“What the hell is going on here, Emma? Why didn’t you tell me you had a son?”

Emma looked like she might say something, but Killian cut her off, only addressing his best friend. “Ruby, stop it. You don’t know this woman. Did you pay her to come here, or what?”

Ruby gasped an offended “How dare you,” but it wasn’t as effective as she might have hoped when Emma quietly said, “Just dinner.”

The silence that followed was full of tension, and he did nothing but stare at Ruby, anger and embarrassment swirling inside of him as he thought of the implications of what was happening. A beautiful girl who had just agreed to go on a date with him so she’d get a free meal, and maybe laugh about it with her friends once it was over. A nice story to get some laughs from an audience.

“You’re unbelievable. You show up at my place, throw yourself on my couch and whine for hours about wanting to meet someone and cuddling with them and I find the perfect girl for you and when you suggest doing the same for me because you want me to be happy you can’t even bother to think of someone, you just stop the first random person you run into and bribe them to date your pathetic friend?” He was already standing up and picking up his blazer and shrugging it on, tossing a bill on the table to cover for his dinner. He ignored Ruby’s quiet plea.

“Killian, wait…”

He shook his head, avoiding her gaze. He turned to Mulan and Emma, though his eyes stayed mostly on the first one, not quite wanting to meet his fake date for the night’s eyes and see whatever might be swirling in that intense green - amusement? Pity? Who knew. “I’m sorry for the number, ladies. I’m out.”

And he left without a word.

* * *

 

And, again, she had _royally_ fucked up.

As soon as he left, Ruby’s head thumped against the tablecloth. “Well, that went well.”

“I’m sorry Ruby,” Emma mumbled, her head hanging low, and Ruby felt a pang of regret course through her. She liked Emma, the weirdness of their first meeting withstanding. No matter how that had worked out, she was smart, beautiful and had a sharp with that had Ruby immediately consider her potential for the evening. She had also noticed a silent loneliness that clung to her, because if not, why would she accept her crazy proposition in the first place?

And now she had screwed it all up.

She sighed. “It’s me who should apologize, I dragged you into this and you shouldn’t have gotten any crap for that.”

Emma’s lips pursed, but she didn’t disagree with her. Exhaling loudly, she picked up the red leather jacket she had taken off when they had been directed to their table, and slung it over her arm as she stood up. “I should go. It was nice to meet you, Mulan,” she said, smiling thinly at her, and Mulan sent her an answering one.

“You too.”

With a small wave, Emma left, her heeled boots clicking as she strode to the restaurant exit. Ruby bit her lip, not really knowing how to proceed from there. She was on a catastrophic date with a girl who was, actually, as great as Killian had promised her to be. Who had seen, firsthand, how she had pretty much fucked it up with his best friend _and_ a stranger.

...who was, after all, softly smiling at her. Ruby gulped, lowering her gaze in defeat.

“So, after seeing what a bad friend I am, I don’t expect you to really want to meet again.”

“I’ve seen worse, trust me,” Mulan pointed out with a low laugh. “For what is worth, I think it was really sweet that you tried to set him up with someone nevertheless. And who knows, maybe you could actually find someone for him in the end, to make it up to him?” she proposed, and Ruby looked up, marveled at the encouragement on her face. The sinking feeling in her chest lessened somehow, her mind spinning with plans and possibilities to make Killian forgive her, but she brushed them off for the moment.

Not when she was still, after all, with a beautiful date.

“We’ll see,” she finally said, and licking her lips, she quietly suggested, “Wanna go get something to drink?”

Mulan’s answering smile was brilliant, transforming that leaden weight into fluttering hope. “I’d love to.”

* * *

 

It had been a week since that disastrous evening, and Killian had pretty much done everything in his power to get drowned in work to avoid thinking about it. Not only was he embarrassed and feeling sorry for himself –a drama queen tendency of his that he had yet to correct, because dammit, it felt good to stew in one’s misery at times – but he really wanted to put it behind him.

(Or so he told himself, those times when he had had to talk himself out of asking Ruby for Emma’s number or any way to contact her.)

So, statistical analysis and data reconfiguration it was for him. It was so mind-draining and boring it actually worked as a diversion from his straining thoughts of a golden-haired woman as he worked at the cafe replying to an email from his boss.  

“Is this seat taken?” someone asked, and for a second he didn’t even acknowledge them, making a silent gesture with his hand for them to go ahead. He finally stopped typing his email and found himself freeze at the sight of Emma, in all her shining-haired glory sitting in front of him.

“Oh,” he said, and she smiled, embarrassed.

“I’m not stalking you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

He arched an eyebrow, the corner of his lips pulling into a smile. “Didn’t say you were.”

“But you were _thinking_ it,” she acknowledged, narrowing her eyes at him, and he made a point of humming loudly in consideration.

“I was wondering if someone may have paid you to come here…”

She shook her head, golden curls bouncing around her face. “I _did_ ask Ruby if you came by so I could apologize, that’s all,” she explained sheepishly, and Killian thought she couldn’t have looked more adorable even if she tried.

“That’s not necessary, lass. Ruby did all the grovelling by herself.”

She gave him a considering look. “Did you forgive her?”

He laughed, recalling the way Ruby had followed him around, leaving treats for him in his apartment, his workplace (with Mulan’s help, he had been amused to find out), sending apologizing song requests on her behalf and dedicating them to him on his favorite radio program.

“One can’t really stay mad at her. I’d miss her.”

She smiled. “That’s good.”

There was a pause when she picked at her nails worriedly and he, in turn, studied her. He still had so many questions about that night –why had she come? Had it all been a joke for her? If it had, then she wouldn’t have come all the way to this cafe to apologize, right?– and he knew it would eat at him if he didn’t take the chance right now, so he went and asked.

“What I don’t understand is - why would you take her up on her offer? Agreeing to fake a friendship with her in order to set you up with her single friend?”

She blushed. “She told me I’d have a free dinner and meet a really great, hot guy.” She paused, biting her lower lip, and Killian couldn’t help but follow the movement, breath caught in his chest. She met his eyes, the curl of her mouth teasing a smirk. “And she delivered.”

He laughed, and caught her pleased grin. “Smooth.”

“I try.”

They stared at each other, still smiling, until she exhaled and her hands leapt to the table in front of her, fingers linking as if she couldn’t stop herself from moving in some way. “Listen, I don’t normally do this, I promise.”

“Accepting to go on blind dates offered by strangers?” he innocently questioned, and she snorted under her breath.

“That, and seeking said date later.”

He gave her a look. “Then why are you here?”

Emma played with a strand of hair and put it behind her ear, a tiny golden hoop earring catching his gaze as she did. “You seemed great. And for the first part of it, I had fun.”

He recalled their initial conversation during dinner, and smiled despite himself. “I did too, but… well, is anything that you told me true?”

She considered this, and started counting on her fingers. “My name is Emma. I’m a bailbondsperson and no, I did not go to college. I am single and I do have a son, Henry, and he’s 10. Actually he is the one who insisted on me coming here to apologize.” At that, she pointed at a booth behind them, and he turned in his seat, leather creaking under him, to find a young boy, mug on his hand and a huge book in front of him. Probably feeling observed, he raised his head, and hazel eyes and a chin that was quite similar to Emma’s met their expectant stares. He sent them a thumbs up, grinning widely.

“You’re doing great, mom!” he exclaimed, and Emma huffed out a laugh.

“Thanks, kid.”

Killian turned an amused glance in her direction, noticing how the boy went back to his book. “I didn’t realise we had a chaperone for the evening.”

She shrugged, lowering her eyes and voice turning soft. “Yeah, well. He thought I’d chicken out from asking you out.”

That feeling that had caught aflame that day at the restaurant came back full force, the pang of longing to talk more to this woman and find out about her, make her laugh and take away some of that haunted loneliness in her eyes abating somehow at her hopeful expression as she waited for his answer. “I’d be okay with that.”

Her lips curved, a smile blossoming on her face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded, leaning back on the booth seat. “It’s a date. No DD, though,” she added as an afterthought, eyes glinting in amusement, and he groaned.

“I can’t believe Ruby taught you that too.”

“I know, right?” she laughed. She made an expectant motion with her hand, and he searched for his phone on his jacket to give it to her, skin tingling when their hands touched. She typed in her number and saved it as ‘Emma Swan’, giving it back to him with a tentative grin. “Next Friday? 8 PM?”

He nodded, still not able to stop his answering smile. “Looking forward to it.”

She stood up, and he followed her, unsure what to do with himself, but thankfully she made the decision for him when she leaned in and left a feathery kiss on his cheek. “See you then, Killian.”

Unable to do anything else but stammer a marvelled “Yeah” in response and grin like a fool, she moved past him, clutching his forearm in farewell as she did. Before he could go back to his seat, he heard her son call out “You did GREAT, mom,” followed by an enthusiastic “So did you, Killian!”, and he turned to find Ruby sitting with Henry, an arm around his shoulders as they observed Emma and Killian with twin shit-eating grins.

Emma rolled her eyes, even though it looked rather soft instead of hard, murmuring in his ear, “They’ve been in cahoots about it for the entire week.”

He palmed his face in desperation. Not even hooking Ruby up with the perfect girl for her had stopped her meddling, apparently. “Great,” he said, but he smiled back at his best friend, because, well. She _was_ great. What she had done was great. Emma was great. Her son was great. Her laughing eyes as she waved him goodbye was great.

Everything was great, really.

(“Can you believe our toasts at each other’s weddings are gonna be even _better_ now with this plot twist?”

“Ruby, for the love of God, shut up.”)


End file.
